Q:  I currently drive a 2011 Honda Fit Sport.  On the 2007 Nissan Sentra, which I no longer own, I bought online a Fit Kit. I already have the bars, etc. I just needed a Kit to match with the bars, intended for 2011 Honda Fit. The following link, http://www.orsracksdirect.com/thule-racks-2180-fitkit-honda-fit-roof-rack.html, is what I found, thus I ordered them originally.

I am confused with the 2 Fit Kits you mentioned below, each having their respective systems. If the above link is no longer valid, suggest to update it accordingly to redirect to the appropriate model, system applicable to date.

Pardon me asking, why would there be 2 Fit Kits of different systems? What is the correct item for my 2011 Honda Fit Sport?

In closing, please ship out the vehicle specific rack systems with the fit guides developed by our vendors for approved an tested fits applicable for my 2011 Honda Fit Sport.

A: The link to the 2180 fit kit you found which stated it is for the Honda Fit is for the Honda Fit model years 2007–2008. Your Honda Fit, being a 2011, requires a different fit kit.

The reason there are two different fit kits is because Thule made two different rack systems for the Honda Fit. Please review the following links and let us know which is the system that matches what you had on your 2007 Nissan Sentra. The Thule 400XT Aero Foot Pack or the Thule 480 Traverse Foot Pack.

Once you have confirmed this then we can make sure you get the correct fit kit for the system you currently have that you want to now put on your Honda Fit.

Q: I have a 2006 Honda Accord 4 door sedan – what are the options for a surfboard rack that will work with my car?

A:  Here is some information on carrying surf boards on a 2006 Honda Accord 4 door sedan.

Base rack options:

Thule 480 Traverse Roof Rack System, this rack system includes the 480 foot pack, 1304 fit kit and 58” cross bars. This would be my first choice for the base rack. I have used them for years and always had good luck.

Yakima Q Towers Roof Rack System, this rack system includes the Q Tower foot packs, Q Clips (Q6 front, Q83 rear) and 48” cross bars. Yakima is the other major brand besides Thule. They are also a quality brand. They use round bars where Thule uses square bars.

Inno IN-SU Roof Rack System, this rack system includes the IN-SU foot packs, K294 fit clips and 50” cross bars. Inno is the most popular rack system in Asia and has been making inroads in the US market over the past years. Their fit & finish is slightly less dialed than Thule or Yakima. They use the exact same shape and size bars as Thule.

Surf Carriers(all require one of the above base racks and all will fit any of the above racks no matter the brand):

Thule 809 Double-Decker Surf Rack,  Lockable holds up to two boards.

Yakima WaveHog SUP / Surf Rack, Lockable, holds up to three boards.

Inno INA744 BoardLocker Board Rack,  Lockable, holds up to two boards.

As you can see there are lots of great choices for a 2006 Honda Accord surfboard rack – hope this helps!

Image of 2011 Honda CRV roof rack setup comprised of Thule 460R Rapid Podium with 3042 Fit Kit and AeroBlade bars. This Ski Rack for 2011 Honda CR-V is the Thule 92725 Universal Flat Top Ski & Snowboard Carrier.

A fantastic roof rack setup for a 2011 Honda CR-V, this Thule 460R Rapid podium roof rack includes the Thule 460R Podium Foot Pack, Thule 3042 Podium Fit Kit and a set of Thule AeroBlade ARB47 bars.   This rack system attaches to the roof of the CR-V via the 4 fixed rack attachment points on the roof of the 2011 Honda CR-V. The 92725 Thule Universal Flat Top snowboard and ski carrier nicely compliments this setup. It can hold as many as 6 pairs of skis or 4 snowboards or a mixture of the two.

More details on 2011 Honda CR-V roof rack for fixed attachment points…

Image of Thule 480 Traverse car rack with 487 Traverse SRA Short Roof Adapter Kit for 2010 Honda Accord 2-door.

This 2010 Honda Accord 2 Door Roof Rack is composed of the 480 Thule Traverse rack system paired with the Thule Traverse SRA (487) short roof adapter kit.  This is the ideal roof carrier set up for the 2 Door accord short roof line. They complete system includes Thule 1559 Fit Kit ( the correct fit kit for 2010 Honda Accord) and LB58 Thule Load bars.

More details on roof rack for 2010 Honda Accord short roof…

Here’s a really solid overview of the Thule 460R Rapid Podium roof rack system, featuring the ultra-sleek and whisper-silent Thule AeroBlade crossbars. The informational video includes an installation of the complete car rack system on  rooftop fixed-points for a premium factory rack looking 2011 Honda CR-V roof rack crossbars multi-purpose system. With the system installed you can then connect any roof mount gearcarrier attachments to the AeroBlade load bars. The components used in the 2011 Honda CRV car rack install are the Thule 460R Rapid Podium Foot Pack, Thule 3042 Podium Fit Kit and pair of Thule ARB47 AeroBlade load bars. The 460R Rapid Podium system is Thule Racks most versatile roof rack solution, as it is often used for other configurations such as mounting to flush side rails, roof tracks and certain custom, permanent rack applications. There are many Podium Fit Kits available, each designed for a specific application and particular vehicle year/make/model.

A: I’m in the Air Force serving in Japan -  I’m in need of a snowboard carrier (for two snowboards) and hopefully a cargo carrier to fit on the roof, but I haven’t found a manufacturer that makes anything for the vehicle.  So the following is a list of vehicle specs and questions.

Car Specs- 1997 Honda Accord Stationwagon.  It has factory roof channels.  The mounting holes are 3.5” apart and the overall dimensions are 1.5” by 4 ¾”.  The space between the roof rails is 41” and the length is 31 inches between the forward and aft mounting points. 

I will be buying a 2011 (or 2012) Ford Explorer when I return to the states.  I would like to reuse the carriers on the Explorer.  I understand the base will not be able to be reused, but I would like to reuse the rest.  Is this possible?

A: The two vehicles you mention use two very different roof racks systems.  The Accord wagon would use the Thule 400xt rack and the Explorer would use the Thule 450 Crossroad.  You could use the Thule 92724 to carry your two snowboards on either rack/vehicle. What you described are the mounting points for the Honda factory installed raised side rails.  If you were able to obtain and install these raised side rails, you could then use the 450 Crossroad rack.

Q:  We have a Honda CRV 2011 with factory installed roof rack.  We would like to get a J style kayak rack for two sea kayaks.  Yakima has always worked well for us — we have also had some Thule products.  We like the Yakima Bow Down Kayak Rack (and it folds) but wonder if it will work on our CRV racks.  Before ordering, I’d like some confirmation that they will work.

Also, what is your experience with Rack and Roll trailer for kayaks — we’ve heard mixed reviews.

A: I confirmed, through the Yakima fit guide, that the Yakima Bow Down will fit on your 2011 Honda CRV with factory rack and cross bars. The only thing you will want to double check whenever you are using factory cross bars as a base set up is the maximum load for the bars. Besides the weight of the kayaks, the Bow Downs weigh 15 lbs each.

If you like the Yakima then stick with that. There are other similar options from Thule (Hull-a-Port Pro) and Malone (DownLoader) with similar features and pricing. You can learn more by using the links.

And lastly, yes, we have had excellent experience and feedback with the Rack and Roll Trailers. One thing to consider whether you plan on using the trailer at higher speeds on the highway and/or for long distance trips. If this is the case then you would want to go with the Rack and Roll Trailer with 72” bars as it will be more stable.

Q:  Can you tell me if the Saris Bones 2 will work on both the Ford Edge and the Honda Civic 07? I’m pretty sure the Honda is no problem but the Edge isn’t in their fit guide & I’ve seen things about additional accessories that may be required for glass hatch vehicles and Internet blogs stating people’s opinions that they think it should work but due to the upper spoiler on the edge saris doesn’t actually say it will.

A: You’re right, the Civic is no problem. The Edge however, is a problem when it comes to trunk racks. Saris does not list any of their models as compatible with the Edge and the same goes for Yakima and Thule. The Edge is unfortunately just one of those vehicles that isn’t compatible with trunk racks. If you want to carry bikes on the back of your vehicle, you will need to have a receiver hitch installed and then you are free to select any of the hitch mounted bike racks available. Hitch racks are a bit more pricey than trunk racks, but they are the best way to carry bikes on the rear of a vehicle.

Great shot of a Honda fit kayak rack with roller system using the Yakima Q-Tower base rack with Q99 Q-Clips and the Yakima Showboat kayak/canoe roller system.

Here is a shiny red Honda Fit kayak rack system with an extension roller for easier loading and unloading using the Yakima Q-Tower base rack system with Q99 Q-Clips and the Yakima Showboat kayak roller with what I assume (I didn’t have my tape measure on me!) are 58″ extension bars, but could possibly be 66″ bars. If you have a Fit, you can measure and decide which bars will allow for enough extension so that the roller overhangs the bumper and feel free to let us know which size worked for you. Thanks!

Q: Wondering if the Saris Bones 2 will fit my 2009 Honda CR-V?

A: Saris does not recommend the Bones 2 for the 2009 CRV. Alternately, Yakima does authorize the QuickBack 2 or King Joe Pro 2 for this vehicle, and either rack would also require an extra set of Yakima Glass Hatch Hooks, as these hooks will replace both the upper and lower straps on the CRV.